Unexpected Adventures

Last week I packed my bags and headed to Singapore and Vietnam for a few days. I didn't have much of a plan and was ready to just go with the flow when I arrived. My layover in Singapore was long, but thankfully it was a beautiful airport with lots to do. Wish I had a chance to go out and see the city but the timing didn't quite work out. I guess that just gives me an excuse to go back!

Flying out of Ho Chi Minh City.

As for Vietnam, when I arrived I had no plan and very little sleep so I headed straight to the hostel to check in and drop off my things. The moment I walked in the door I felt completely at home. I rinsed off, changed, and joined everyone for breakfast. The place felt incredibly warm and I knew then that it would be hard to leave. An hour later, I was on the back of a moped with people that I had just met. We ended up exploring Saigon for the next 10 hours and I had the most amazing day. 

The little lake resort that we spent our afternoon at.

We visited the market and walked through the aisles that sold everything from fresh seafood and hot meals to clothing and accessories. Our next destination was this little lake resort where we sat down with cold drinks and tried all the fruits we picked up at the market. It was incredible to sit out on the dock and watch all the plants float by. After that we headed over to a fishing spot where we didn't catch any fish, but had some really great food. After that, we popped down the road to go shrimp fishing. We ended up hanging out there for quite some time before heading back to the city. When we got back to the city we visited Little Tokyo and the city centre and just walked around. After that we called it a night. 

Boating through the mangrove forest.

My second day in Ho Chi Minh City was equally as amazing. We started off the day by heading to the backpackers' district where we had lunch. Then we drove out to Monkey Island - it was such a beautiful ride and so much fun to be in the rural areas. We got to the nature reserve where we got to feed the monkeys, boat through the mangrove forest and feed crocodiles. We boated out to this amazing area in the forest that had all these huts set up with descriptions about the war. It was better than being at a museum and something I won't forget. After Monkey Island we headed out to the beach to grab a snack before our long journey home. We finished off the night with one last dinner before I ended up falling asleep on the kitchen floor and waking up with a kitten hanging out on my head. 

Our lunch spot in the Backpackers' District.

I had the most incredible time in Vietnam and I am having serious withdrawals at the moment. It was the most amazing adventure and not having a plan really paid off. It was a holiday that I would never have even imagined having but I honestly would not change a thing. I fell in love with Vietnam and really wish now that I had more time there. I definitely want to go back and hopefully sooner rather than later. I'm so thankful that I met the most wonderful and warm people to share this adventure with. The highlight of my trip was definitely when we were on the country roads and the sun was setting, lightning was lighting up the sky, and I felt in the moment that there was no where else that I belonged more; I felt free. It all seems a bit surreal looking back on it now, but I suppose that's what made it perfect. 

xx. 

Fernweh

I recently stumbled upon this word and felt like it described my perfectly. Fernweh is a German noun that means the opposite of homesickness; it is a longing for a faraway place that you do not know. It is the urge to discover new places, a need for distance and the desire to experience something far away by escaping the present and travelling. 

Being a tourist in Hong Kong. Walled villages in Tai Po.

My heart has been craving a place that it doesn't yet know. I've had this deep desire to travel and be alone recently. It's not that I don't enjoy the company that I have here and that I don't want to go on a holiday with people, but my heart is longing to be somewhere on my own. I really want to experience complete independence in a place that I know nothing about. Something about this idea has me entirely convinced that this is exactly what will make me happy right now. I'm ready to take the dive. 

Dragon and Tiger Towers in the Lotus Pond Scenic Area in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

In other news, I spent three days in Kaohsiung, Taiwan last week. It was a pretty relaxing city and a nice little getaway. The weather was absolutely beautiful and I enjoyed walking around and seeing all the different temples and buildings and what not. We even managed to fit in a run in the morning on our second day. I've been trying to run a little more consistently but the heat and humidity here makes it very difficult for me to find the motivation to do so. 

Cijin Island in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Beautiful little place only 10 minutes from the city. 

It's actually a bit surreal to me that I'll be going home in less than 50 days. Without a doubt, things are going to fall back into a routine rather quickly. At the moment I'm having a hard time trying to figure out if that's really what I need. As much as I want to travel and continue to explore and experience new things, there is a part of me that misses home each time that I am away. That part of grounds me and reminds me of why my heart still considers one place home. Although Hong Kong feels more and more like home each time I come, there are little things that I miss that I'm always trying to find and recreate. I'm ready to make the most out of the month and a half that I have left and focus on just enjoying myself and living in the present. 

xx. 

Settling

It has taken me a shockingly long time to settle in here in Hong Kong, and there are times when I feel as if I'm still not quite there yet. It's been a very chaotic few weeks, but I have a semi-regular schedule now that makes me feel a little bit more calm about being here. I'm working part-time at a learning centre and private tutoring on the side and it's given my schedule incredible flexibility. I feel as if I haven't properly taken advantage of this yet. I have yet to establish a regular workout/ running schedule and the holidays have left me feeling stuffed and overly satisfied. It has been a really nice couple of weeks with family and friends and lots of visits. The next month is looking pretty packed already but I'm really looking forward to having visitors and hanging out.

5:30am adventure to catch the sunrise at The Peak.

I'm slowly crossing things off on my list of things to do in Hong Kong, but while I do that I seem to be constantly adding new items. It's crazy to think that I only have about 3.5 months left here. I'm trying to plan a couple of trips at the moment as I hope to visit some new destinations before I have to head home. I'm lusting for exploration and unfamiliarity already. I've got my heart set on a few places and I'm hoping to get on top of booking everything mid-March so that I can start researching and figuring out exactly what I want to get up to. I get so incredibly excited thinking about flying and travelling and I haven't even booked anything yet!

Visiting with a friend's family - 23 stories up and such an amazing angle.

The time so far in Hong Kong has been so lovely. I've had a chance to catch up with friends and family and spend quality time with them. We've been busy as we moved, so a whole week was spent cleaning, painting and building furniture. Our new flat is incredible though, and I feel so at home here it's really lovely. I tried to find the promenade I was told about to head out for a short run but can't seem to make it past all the construction that's happening right now. Ended up not feeling very well and cutting it even shorter to come home. Hopefully I get to try again sometime this week. Aside from that, there's just been a lot of random errands and work. I absolutely love the learning centre that I'm at right now and I couldn't be luckier to have landed a part-time position there. The students are amazing and the rest of the staff are incredibly kind and friendly.

Lunar New Year visits to family in Kwun Tong.

I felt compelled to sit down and write tonight, but I'm finding now that I have very little to say. I have nothing of real interest to share. It's been tough being here in Hong Kong this time around, as I miss home quite a bit. It's strange for me as well because it's the first time that I won't be returning to head straight back to school (which I finally received my letter of confirmation for convocation from!). It's exciting to know that when I get my certificate and will officially be done with my undergraduate career but at the same time it's slightly terrifying to think that I have the option to not attend school anymore. Although that's not what I have planned, knowing that is still a daunting thought. I feel like I'm rambling now so I'm going to cut myself off before I continue to go on and on about nothing at all.

xx

Hello, 2015

I cannot believe another year has come and gone. So much has happened this year and I've been tossing and turning in an attempt to reflect on everything. There were so many changes in 2014 and I'm actually really looking forward to starting off this new year. I'm not one for resolutions, and having been a student all my life, I always felt more of a new year vibe in September, but I'm definitely ready for a fresh start.

The year got off to a pretty slow start. I honestly can't remember much of it aside from really diving back into life at home. I was consumed by work, school and volunteering and balancing all of that took most of my energy. Things definitely picked up in the summer. I loved doing research in my summer class and actually applying the things I have learned throughout my degree. I started a new job, which I've thoroughly enjoyed, and which has led to so many unexpected surprises along the way. In May I was lucky enough to get away to LA for a few days. It was the perfect trip and the break that I needed from everything here; I would do it all again in a heartbeat. In August we spent a weekend in Portland and I got to experience the city in a way that I never had before. I loved waking up and exploring new spots every day and it reminded me of how much I love experiencing new things. A couple of weekend getaways in September further solidified these feelings.

When December rolled around I felt like I was caught off guard. I couldn't quite come to terms with how quickly the last 12 months had passed and that a lot of things were coming to a close. When I think about the entirety of the last month, two words come to mind: intoxicating and bittersweet. I officially completed my undergraduate degree and said goodbye (for now) to the school. The university really has grown to be a place where I feel at home and I've been so lucky to meet so many amazing people in my time there, it was more difficult than I anticipated to leave. On the other hand, I'm beyond thrilled about finally being done and real freedom. I celebrated by taking another trip to LA and spending a week soaking up the warm weather. It was nice to have the time that we did and although saying goodbye was rough, I left feeling hopeful; there have only been good memories. The rest of the year was jam-packed with family and friends and getting in as much as I can before I take off again.

I just arrived in Hong Kong and will be spending the next 5 months here. I can't wait to travel and explore again. I'll be looking for work of some sort, but the butterflies I get from not having any solid plans makes me very, very excited. It feels good to be close to the people I've had to say goodbye to again and I'm beyond grateful to be privileged enough to get to spend more time here. I should be sleeping now to fix my jetlag, but my mind is still racing a million miles a minute as I begin to consider what the next 5 months, and rest of the year has in store. I'm ready to lace up and run head first into whatever comes my way. 

xx